Engineering cutoffs to fall, BCom admissions to get tougher

CHENNAI: The cutoff for engineering courses may come down this year because of fewer students scoring full marks in chemistry and physics in Class XII exams, besides colleges adding 8,000 seats in computer-related branches.
However, with more centum scorers in commerce and economics, the cutoff for BCom courses in top colleges may go up to 99% if not 100%.
The number of centum scorers in chemistry has come down from 3,909 last year to 471 this year. Those scoring full marks in physics are down from 812 last year to 633 this time. Meanwhile, the number of students scoring full marks more than tripled in maths, from 690 last year to 2,587.
"The big drop in centum scorers in chemistry will more than offset the increase in the number of big scorers in maths," said career consultant Jayaprakash Gandhi. "A big increase in the number of engineering seats in top colleges will bring down the cutoff."
Though centum scorers in accountancy have come down from 6,573 to 1,647, those in economics have increased to 3,299. In commerce, their number went up from 5,678 to 6,142.
"In most schools, commerce students have done well. However, the number of top institutions in commerce is less compared to engineering colleges. So, the cutoff will remain high compared to last year," said Gandhi.
Last year the BCom general first shift cutoff in Ethiraj College for Women was 99% in all four subjects.
'Cut-off may come down for BSc (agri) and other non-NEET courses'
K Kanthimathi, a commerce teacher in a city schoolsaid,"This year many students have scored a centum in economics as well. So, the cut-off will slightly increase for BCom courses.".
She said commerce students have done well despite the questions being tougher. The accountancy paper had many twisted questions. Teachers attributed the dip in centum scorers in chemistry to tougher questions in the compulsory section. "Many students didn't answer one-mark questions correctly. However, many students scored 99 and 98 marks this year," said Soundararajan, a chemistry teacher.
Due to the dip in marks for biology, the cut-off for BSc agriculture, BVSc and other non-NEET courses may also come down. The number of students scoring full marks in biology was down from 1,494 last year to 652 this year.